The Gentile Times Reconsidered Chronology Christ

The History of an Interpretation 35
in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the chopped-down tree in Daniel,
chapter 4. It was first published in 1823 in his two-volume work
The Even-Tide; or, Last Triumph of the Blessed and Only Potentate, the King
of Kings, and Lord of Lords. 22
He specifically states that he was the first to write on the subject:
Although many large and learned volumes have been written on
prophetical subjects during a succession of ages; yet, having never
seen the subject, on which I am about to offer some remarks, touched
upon by any author, I commend it to the attention of the reader, not
doubtingly, indeed, but with strong confidence that it will be
found still further to corroborate the scale of the prophetical
periods, assumed as the basis of the fulfillment of prophecy. 23
In his interpretation, Brown differed from other later expositors
in that he nowhere connects the “seven times” of
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream with the “seven times” of prophetic
punishment directed against Israel at Leviticus 26:12–28.
“Nebuchadnezzar was a type,” Brown wrote, “of the three
successive kingdoms which were to arise.” Of the “seven times,” or
years, of Nebuchadnezzar’s affliction, he said:
21 The second advent was expected to occur during the year 1843/44, counted from
Spring to Spring as was done in the Jewish calendar. It has been maintained that
expositors in the United States arrived at the 1843 date as the end of the 2,300
years independently of Brown. Although that may be true, it cannot be proved, and
interestingly, the London, England, Christian Observer, a periodical founded in
1802 which frequently dealt with prophecy, also had an American edition
published at Boston which ran article for article with the British edition. So
Brown’s article on the 2,300 years could have been read by many in the United
States as early as 1810. Soon afterwards, the 1843 date began to appear in
American prophetic expositions.
22 Published in London; the pertinent material is found in Vol. II, pp. 130–152.
23 Perhaps some may be inclined to object to this statement on account of the table
on pages 404 and 405 of Froom’s The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, Volume IV. It
is true that this table seems to show James Hatley Frere as the first to write on the
2,520 years in 1813. But the part of the table farthest to the right on page 405
entitled, “Dating of other time periods,” does not have any close connection with
the “Publication date” column on page 404. It simply states the author’s general
position on other time periods. Besides, Frere never held the times of the Gentiles
(or the “seven times”) to be a period of 2,520 years. In his first book on prophecy, A
Combined View of the Prophecies of Daniel, Esdras, and St. John (London, 1815), he
does not comment on Daniel 4 or Luke 21:24. The “holy city” of Revelation 11:2 he
explains to be “the visible church of Christ” and “during the period of 1260 years,
the whole of this city is trodden under foot of the Gentiles, excepting the interior
courts of its temple.” (Page 87) Many years later Frere calculated the Gentile times
to be a period of 2,450 years from 603 B .C.E. to 1847 C.E. See, for example, his
book, The Great Continental Revolution, Marking the Expiration of the Times of the
Gentiles AD. 1847–8 (London, 1848). Note especially pages 66–78. John A. Brown,
of course, was well acquainted with the many contemporary writings on prophecy,
and Frere was one of the best known expositors in England. So there seems to be
no reason to doubt Brown’s own statement of priority with respect to the 2,520
years.
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